How long to run Prime95 for stress test?

Jamin43

banned
I've been running Prime95 for 2 hours now - and it keeps running 5 or 6 tests on each core and passing tests on the general stress test for all PC parts. Temp is hovering around 80 degrees on stock heatsink ( crappy heatsink ).

1) Is it ok to shut it down and know that my components are all good to go - or should I be running this test for longer periods of time in order to make sure I haven't missed some unknown flaws in the components?

2) If there was something that wasn't right - what would be the symptom that would tell me that? ( Blue screen - computer freeze up - shut down ?? )
 
If something wasn't right, it would crash and you'd get BSOD.

I would not continue to run your cpu at those temps.

If you've gotten past a couple of hours of Prime95 you're fine.

Why are you running Prime if you haven't overclocked?
 
If something wasn't right, it would crash and you'd get BSOD.

I would not continue to run your cpu at those temps.

If you've gotten past a couple of hours of Prime95 you're fine.

Why are you running Prime if you haven't overclocked?

Mainly b/c it's my first PC build - and I wanted to make sure everything was working fine so I can store the boxes - send in for rebates - etc.
 
Mainly b/c it's my first PC build - and I wanted to make sure everything was working fine so I can store the boxes - send in for rebates - etc.

You're fine. Stop running that test. :D

80c is borderline oblivion.

Did you use the stock thermal paste that was on the heatsink?
 
Done,

thanks. Is there any reason I should be concerned about getting a new heatsink today? Rather than waiting til I overclock at some point in the future? Being that at 100% a core goes to 80 degrees?
 
Did you use the stock thermal paste that was on the heatsink?

Yes - I used teh OEM thermal paste that came pre-packaged on the heatsink. I repositioned it 3 times too - b/c it was my first build and I was getting familiar with it. Not sure if that made any difference or not. But it smeared into a nice circle on the CPU.
 
Yes - I used teh OEM thermal paste that came pre-packaged on the heatsink. I repositioned it 3 times too - b/c it was my first build and I was getting familiar with it. Not sure if that made any difference or not. But it smeared into a nice circle on the CPU.

You dont wanna use the same paste if your taking it on and off... got a radioshack close? You can get arctic silver 5 for $8 there.
 
You dont wanna use the same paste if your taking it on and off... got a radioshack close? You can get arctic silver 5 for $8 there.

This stuff?

Seal it with silver.
Arctic Silver 5 is optimized for use between modern high-power CPUs and high performance heatsinks or water-cooling solutions. 99.9% pure silver maximizes particle-to-particle contact area and thermal transfer. High density (over 88% thermally conductive filler by weight) improves compound's performance and long-term stability.

* 99.9% pure silver maximizes particle-to-particle contact area
* High density improves compound's performance and long-term stability
* Controlled triple-phase viscosity is designed for easy application
* Won't separate, run, migrate or bleed

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2216879

They're down the road from me. I can pick some up later today.
 
Yup, just clean off the old stuff from the heatsink/cpu with some 93/97% rubbing alcohol + qtips, put a rice sized drop in the center, and clamp the heatsink down. A tube of arctic silver 5 should last you at least 5 or so heatsink fittings(so plenty when you get that aftermarket heatsink).
 
run prime95

Use IntelBurnTest if you really want to find out if it is stable:

IntelBurnTest - The new stress-testing program - XtremeSystems Forums

prime95 is older than the hills and really should be retired since it is not designed for modern processors.
 
Use IntelBurnTest if you really want to find out if it is stable:

IntelBurnTest - The new stress-testing program - XtremeSystems Forums

prime95 is older than the hills and really should be retired since it is not designed for modern processors.

Intelburntest is basically just linpack... it doesnt test stability that much better than prime95, ive had systems pass 30 runs of ibt and fail prime95 in 30 minutes.
 
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